The United States has an amazing and extensive National Park Service. And this includes 62 National Parks. All these places are perfect for outdoor adventures.And good news for hikers and nature lovers, there are 21,000 miles of trails.
National and State Park System
The system has 419 designated national park areas, including Battlefields, Memorials, National Rivers, Scenic Trails, National Seashores and many others.The National Park system encompasses 84 million acres in the United States. And includes the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands.
There are also many state parks in the fifty states. These State Parks have over 14,500 miles of hiking trails.
This vast network shows the diversity and history of the U.S. Whether you are traveling the roads, seeing the historical areas or hiking the trails, the State and National Park System is the heart of America.
COVID-19 Alert
Due to COVID-19 the National Park service and the State parks have modified their operations due to guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some parks are closed while many outdoor spaces are still accessible and open to the public.
Park Activities from Home
There are a variety of ways that you can stay busy with the park system while staying at home and staying healthy. You can engage with parks remotely through their websites or YouTube.
There are also a variety of educational and fun activities for kids. Reading lists, games and educational portals (for the children and educators) are just a click away.
Multi media travel can be fun. There are dozens of on-site resources that include virtual visits and tours, videos and podcasts.
Take a Virtual Visit to a National Park
You can learn about the legendary sites. Once you take a virtual tour you appreciate why these areas are preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Here are three exciting virtual tours that take you to sites located in the National Park system. Don’t take my word for it… you shouldn’t miss any of them.
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK
VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK
CLARA BARTON NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
You can also watch the parks 24/7 live streaming webcams. But keep in mind things are still largely shut down in both Federal and State Parks.
Video Vacations: An Alternate Way to Travel the Trails
And on YouTube there are lots of videos about the National Park wildlife, historical sites, and taped events etc…
The Appalachian Trail has over 2,180 miles of footpaths. It travels through 13 states. And provides scenic views of the Appalachian Mountains. The trail was built between 1921 and 1937. It is managed by the National Park Service , U.S. Park Service and many state agencies and citizen volunteers. You can travel it end-to-end on video.
Utah National and State Parks are breathtaking. You can take a ninety minute video tour of Eight National Parks throughout Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Get ready to visit the “Icon of the West.” Enjoy a very comprehensive and beautiful tour of Monument Valley.
If you were driving through these states and stopping at all the important sites it would take weeks. If you binge-watch these videos you can do it in a day!
And there are some wonderful tours on YouTube of Yellowstone National Park and
These can be tough times for people that enjoy nature and travel. It is a good way to stay in touch with nature. And you can actually travel to places it would be impossible to access in person. Enjoy your outdoor adventure.
